agentleooc | test drive 02

Entry tags:

!modpost,
!tdm

test drive 02

I know dust grows even when there is a breeze
Can't move, can't grow When you've fallen on your knees

► All TDM threads may be considered canon provided both parties agree and are accepted into the game.

► Canon threads may be redeemed for influence and reputation depending on how you solve the issue at hand or how you engage with the prompt. They also count toward AC.

► Feel free to switch up your character's Jewel from thread to thread. Get a feel for how a Birthright Jewel may limit or enhance your character's abilities.

HOT UNDER THE COLLARD GREENS
The relationship between the Blood and the landens has never been easy anywhere, least of all Draega, and even less so now that the Strangers have arrived. Between Blood and landen, opinions on the Strangers vary wildly. Some Blood believe the Strangers were landen in their original worlds and thus cannot possibly have anything to offer, but some landens think this means that the Strangers will be more sympathetic to them—or that landens could gain the power of the Blood one day, too. Then there are the landens who think the Strangers have sold their souls to Queen Fayura to gain the Jewels and the Blood who think the Strangers have embraced what it truly means to be Blood. Whatever that means.

Tensions are high, and they're highest on the main street of the Old Town Bazaar, where two restaurants have an on-going feud. The Last Meal is owned by a Blood family, none of whom wear a Jewel darker than Yellow. Across the street from them stands the mockingly named Blood and Breakfast, owned by a landen family.

To say these two hate each other would be something of an understatement.

On this particular morning, Lord Harle, the Yellow Jeweled owner and chef at The Last Meal, comes storming out of his front door. "You've done it now, Laney Cook! Soured all my milk!"

Simultaneously, Laney Cook, who is the owner and chef at Blood and Breakfast, comes stomping out the front door of her establishment, brandishing a wooden spoon like a sword. "Aye, and you've replaced all my sugar with salt, you ripe old bastard!"

Without missing a beat, both turn to you and the Stranger at your side. Wrong place, wrong time, friend. The two chefs decide the two of you can be trusted to help them prove the other party guilty of sabotage because neither of you has a stake in this. And, well, if the Queen brought you here, you should be an independent party. Both Harle and Cook seem to think the Queen is pretty okay.

Truthfully, they're both equally guilty. Lord Harle and Ms Cook have been trying to ruin each other for years, but who knows what you'll find when you go searching for evidence. And even if you find evidence that decides one way or the other, perhaps you'll simply lie and manufacture a solution that suits you—or the Queen who brought you here.

TERRIBLE TWO(HUNDRED)S
You're not entirely sure how this happened, but you're starting to understand why Blood females constantly grumble about the caste of males they call Warlord Princes. Prince Loren has, somehow, managed to maneuver you to the place you're at now: the head of a classroom full of Blood children who all look like they're somewhere between the ages of eight and ten. It's hard to tell, and you're pretty sure one bossy little boy declared he was 203-years-old, so everyone else has to listen to him, thanks.

Regardless of how Loren managed to get you there, there you stand. Fifteen energetic elementary school children all wearing Jewels shriek and shout, using Craft to amplify already shrill voices. One girl floats near the ceiling, her face screwed up in concentration as she clutches a Rose Jewel. Two little boys are taking turns passing their hands through their desks, which strikes you as distinctly unsafe for eight-year-olds to be doing. (You're not wrong.)

At least there are two of you, and you only need to babysit these children for the morning. "They're here for Craft lessons. Surely, you can manage until Lady Sheera arrives," Loren had said before abandoning you to a battlefield full of powerful, pint-sized children.

There's a lesson plan on the teacher's desk, but maybe you should lead with the snacks.

REVENGE, SERVED STINKY
The air is crisp and cool; it's still winter, but it's not as chilly as it has been, and so you're out for a walk. You've made your way north through Old Town and now find yourself meandering down the roads in front of the landen Guild Halls. Even though they're all made of red brick, each building is entirely unique. The Hunter and Crafter Hall, the largest of all the buildings, has more in common with a hunting lodge than the university building it once was. The Elektriline Hall might be the smallest building, but it's covered in neon lights and impossible to ignore.

Equally impossible to ignore is Master Tinker Mari and her collection of landen young adults. They're clustered around a storm drain. When Mari sees you, she detaches herself from the group of landen students and bounds over to you. "Ahhah! Stranger! You have been brought here against your will and are surely sympathetic to our cause!" she exclaims.

That doesn't make you feel too great since, you know, you're aware that the Hunter Guild tried to kill all the Strangers maybe two or three weeks ago. They may have mellowed out, or they may just be biding their time. Thankfully, none of Mari's students bear the markings of a Hunter.

She pulls you to the group. Already, canisters have been lowered into the sewers. A handful of students have clambered down after the canisters. "The Blood wouldn't help us repair the damage in Old Town," she says, rubbing her hands together. "Our people's homes were unlivable. So we're going to make their workplace unbearable." She points at the canisters. "Stink bombs."

There's another Stranger in the group, and you make eye contact over the top of the storm drain. Are you of the same mind as each other? As Mari? The choice is yours: agree to Mari's plan and fill the buildings of the Ebon Council with untenable stench or try to convince them there's a better way.

AIR TIME
Whether you catch the news on a Far-caster in the city or you're spinning the dial on your own device, you'll hear…

etiquette with evandra and aren
[Evandra's voice is a little bit rough and a little bit husky, the kind of voice that gives bad ideas to young men and headaches to fathers.] Today we're talking about everyone's favorite subject.

[Aren's voice is chipper and bright. He sounds more like an eager boy than the full-grown man he is.] Food?

[A laugh from Evandra.] No, Lord Aren. Sex and flirting. Culturally, the Blood don't consider it rude to flirt quite blatantly with each other, even when one or both of the parties is married. Isn't that right?

[Aren:] That's exactly it, Evandra. Older males allow young witches to flirt because it's understood that the male isn't interested or available. He becomes a safe partner for her to practice on, and his approval lets her know what is and isn't acceptable.

[Evandra:] What does it mean if a married male or witch flirts with you?

[Aren:] Casual flirting means that witch or male thinks you're safe. It's their way of telling you they feel comfortable around you. Of course, it's always acceptable to ask them to step back! [He laughs.] As we all know, just because you can flirt with a Warlord Prince's lady doesn't mean you should!

[Evandra:] Let's take a look at casual flirtation between different Blood castes…

the weather
[A soft-spoken man's voice rumbles out of the Far-caster. He's pleasant to listen to, with a soothing cadence to his voice.] Warmer temperatures will see melting snow over the next week. Be careful around the Heartsblood River, as the heavy snows will result in flooding along the banks. Need flood insurance? The Transport Guild is looking to expand into…

the news
…amusing to hear that Grand Master Niall blames the Blood for the fires in Old Town. It is my understanding that members of the Blood, these so-called Strangers, went out of their way to rescue both Blood and landen during the fires set by the Grand Master's Hunter Guild. [The man speaking has a slow, clipped cadence to his voice. It's very posh and polished.]

[Another voice, presumably an interviewer:] The Council counts the Strangers as Blood, Lord Grejor?

[Grejor:] What else can they be? They wear the Jewels, therefore they are among our number. [He laughs, and the sound is cold.] The Council is pleased to welcome our new brothers and sisters.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Piper is not amused at any of this, and her weird partner's reaction is just the icing on the cake. His reasoning is psychology she doesn't have time to parse, because either he's protesting too much because of Issues and or he's telling the truth and there are also Issues involved, and she doesn't have time to deal with that because there are eight year old boys passing their hands through solid objects. ]

Before you get too comfortable, could you do what it is that tall people do and get the snacks off the high shelf? [ She raises her voice slightly so that all the children can hear. ] Because all the children who are sitting down in their seats will get a snack. [ And, adding in some motivation for the guy claiming to have no feelings: ] And once they're quieter, I'm sure it will be easier for you to read.

[Damon is almost two hundred years old himself; reverse psychology doesn't work on him, lady. He looks at her over the edge of his book, then back at the kids, then back to her.]

I saw one of them floating. I'm sure they can reach the snacks. Whether or not there'll be any by the time they get their weird little ass down from there, well... that's up to how convincing you can be in getting them to stop pretending the condom didn't get mixed up in the making of said little freak.

[ Oh, you're just like every other stuck up jerk she's ever met, aren't you. Piper's glad her usual precautions are in place. She's not going to waste any more time on you. ]

Alright. [ She turns and smiles at the kids, and it's radiant. It has a quieting impact on the children. ] Let's stop the lessons for now and then play a game.

[ A nice, noisy, distracting game. ]

Then we can go get a snack. Let's move our chairs around in a circle.

[ And about two thirds of them began to do just that. Piper felt a little proud - all that, and without Charmspeak. She'll have to think of something really noisy. ]

[It was the smile that clued him in that something was up. Damon knew women. He'd seen that look before and heard that tone. Women were... spiteful. Especially the pretty ones. Super spiteful. The prettier, the more spiteful. Ask Caroline. Or Katherine.

Still, he opted to pretend he wasn't paying any attention, even though half (or more) of his attention was on the little brats and their too-charming teacher, all while his eyes skimmed over the words in front of him.

His unfortunate partner was going to find out in the worst of ways that Damon didn't really care about kids. Or people. Or his own image, other than knowing he was hot. Good genes, his father notwithstanding.

She gets one flick of his eyes, then his gaze is back on the book. Maybe they'll be quiet.

Maybe.]

Okay. This is good. [ She flicks a glance to the few hold outs who are still at the table and makes a split second call - it'll be easier to maintain her really nebulous hold on these kids without having to use any power if those kids see that this is a fun game and want to join in on their own. ]

Let's see... what would you like to play? A quiet game...? [ there was a chorus of 'Nooos', one enthusiastic kid even making a farting sound to show his disdain ] ...or a loud game.

[ There is a chorus of cheers, several kids standing up on their chairs and one spinning around in the imitation of a bird. Which was fine - better than fine, actually. It gives her an idea. ] All right! Let's play zoo.

[ Kids stumble over themselves to ask questions. She laughs, and it's engaging and it grabs the attention of the kids who haven't come over yet. Or maybe they're just tired of being ignored. They start heading over. Meanwhile, Piper's aware of her partner's presence, and much as she'd like to dismiss him entirely, there's something about him that won't let her ignore him completely. She stays aware of whether or not he moves. ]

One at a time, one at a time -- in fact, that's the first rule of zoo. Everyone has to go one at a time.

Edited (whoops!) 2019-02-11 01:26 (UTC)

[Damon didn't hide the fact that he rolled his eyes, but his feet stayed up on the desk and he continued to read. Loud children were annoying, but he could entertain himself during a frat party orgy. It just grated on his nerves when it hit particular pitches -- likely because he could hear in a fashion most here probably couldn't.

He sighed and turned the page.]

If you want to be really authentic, you should get a cage. Zoos have cages. And tranquillizer darts.

[ Piper tells herself that she should just ignore him, but she just... can't. ]

Do you know what zoos also have? [ She speaks as if to the kids, that light, lilting tone. And she flicks a gaze to him. ] Snacks. [ With a little smile that is not at all friendly before returning her gaze to the kids. ] Which we can have right as soon as we're done with the game. Now the second rule is you all need to think of your favorite animal.

[ She turns her attention a little girl. 'What's your favorite animal?'

'I like horses!'

'I like puppies!' 'I like horses too!' 'I like--' ]

[Oh, he feels that glare, and it just makes him smirk. Point, Damon. Well... Point, Damon, in Damon's world. He read a few more lines, listening to high-pitched squeaky voices call out animals and he groaned.]

Jesus, pick more from McDonald's farm, why don't you? Pick a quiet animal. Like a fish. Or an octopus. Or a... dead rat. Dead rats are great. Not so tasty, but you only have a fifty-fifty chance of getting the plague.

[Piper's job was to entertain them. Damon's, apparently, was to scar them for life.]

[ 'I like rats!'

Damon has asked for this and so he will receive. A boy decides to come over and talk with him about how cool rats are. Since Damon keeps talking to them, he must be fair game. Piper lets him go, but keeps an eye on him. ]

Now the next part of the game is to go -- one at a time -- and make noises like the animal. Then we all guess what it is. Who wants to go first?

[ She is treated to a row of hands to pick from, and several kids who decide just to make noises. ]

No, one at a time - one at a time.

[He'd forgotten how stupidly fearless children could be. Well, no so much fearless as just ignorant of what the world could throw at them. On the other hand, Damon had met a child-vampire once. Most terrifying creature in existence, as far as he was concerned. No, thank you.

The boy came over and looked at him with solemn eyes. Damon looked at Piper over his shoulder, then leaned in and whispered to the boy.

What he said was between him and his student, but after a few moments of wrinkling his nose, wagging an invisible tail, and squeaking, he ran over and bit another student.]

'Now you have rabies and are going to die. Top of the food chain!'

[Damon clapped and mimed wiping a tear.]

[ Oh, for crying out loud.

Fortunately, the boy had attacked one of his friends, and he had played along and was now 'dying' dramatically. ]

Alright, everyone, five minute break. You two, [ she points at the biter and bite-e ], I'll talk to you in a minute. And when we're done, we'll all eat.

[ She walks over to Damon. ]

If you're not going to help, you could at least not hurt. Or are you just that desperate for attention?

[Damon was chuckling to himself and had turned back to his book when he felt the surge of feminine disapproval head his way. He glanced up at her with bright blue eyes that were a little wicked when paired with the smirk, which he then widened and fluttered dark lashes at her as he put a hand to his chest.]

I? Desperate? Do I look like the sort who'd resort to... ploys to get attention? Not happening. Besides, he's lucky it's his friend that bit him and not me. I call that a win.

[ Yes, he is very pretty. Fortunately for her, she's used to being surrounded by very pretty people, her father's Hollywood friends, other demigods, and a rather specific one, with eyes like the sky.

He wants her to melt, or to at least be flustered. All she does is frown. ]

Yes, you do. [ She flicks her gaze over him briefly. ] But I wouldn't think you were the sort to play at being a rat.

[Well, if he couldn't get melting or flustering, he'd do with a scream. Other people's fear always did make him laugh.]

Been called worse, but I don't play at being anything with teeth. I have my own.

[A flash of fang, whites turning dark red with blood, and black veins writhing around his eyes, Damon smiled in genuine pleasure.]

[ Piper has seen human faces turn into monsters before, but not like this. Her eyes widen and she does go a shade paler, afraid, yes, but hardly petrified. Like other demigods, her mind is hard wired for combat -- and what did she have to fight with here? Nothing, less than nothing, she was useless--

And there were children.

Think, Piper. Why is he doing this now? It's not a threat, not overtly -- because she challenged him? What does he want? What can she use?

He wants me to be afraid.

...well, too bad. She wasn't giving him that, not any more than she already had. She compresses her lips and tilts her head slightly. ]

You make a good point. Please put them away before the children see.

Two good points.

[His tongue tapped the tip of each fang, and then his face was back to the pretty yet mundane version it had been before. And he smiled up at her. Well, she was interesting, wasn't she? He'd heard her pulse skip for a moment, smelled that slight edge of something... but whatever she might be feeling, she was repressing it and facing the big bad monster. Either she'd seen his kind before (doubtful), or she'd seen something before (more likely, considering this place and that she was another Stranger, like himself).]

Want to hear something funny? Believe me when I say that no matter how scary I can look, they won't ever be half as afraid of me as you'd be. Not unless I started hurting them. Because I'm an adult, and adults are supposed to be all big and protective. But you... well. Adults know better. There are monsters under the bed and some of them aren't so scary looking. But humans... well. You all do worse things to yourselves with less excuses.

[ The terrible pun coming from a face like that - with eyes like that - made the experience all the more surreal, and entirely terrifying. A tight little knot of fear hitched in her chest, wanted to work its way out with a sound, a gasp or a sob - or even a laugh. Piper refused to let it.

She wished any one of her friends were here right now, any of them were better in a fight than she was. She'd been working to change that, but - if he decided to stop reading and do something that would hurt these children... she'd do what she could. She'd faced down giants, but she'd at least had a sword then.

Focus, Piper.

He put the fangs back. She exhaled but didn't relax. She wanted to glance at the children to see if they were all right, but there was just the sound of rampant playing. It would have been foolish to take her eyes off him, so she didn't.

And then her shifted in focus, going from casual threat to - philosophical, almost. Why? (An attempt at manipulation. Establishing a perceived superiority. What does he want? What can she use?) ]

Maybe. But even if they wouldn't be as scared as I would be, it'd still scare them. So thank you for putting them away.

[ She wasn't interested in engaging him on a moral high ground contest; Piper didn't feel the need to prove anything. All she had to do was make sure the kids were all right. ]

You haven't been around kids much, have you? They'd think it was cool. Just like if you started talking about blood and guts, the girls would pretend to think it's gross, while the boys would actually say 'ew gross', then demand you tell them more.

[He shrugged, eyes going back to his book, but not before he gave her a wink.]

At least I'm not eating them.

[A look at a watch on his wrist, then down at his stomach, giving it a pat.]

Yet.

[ ...she didn't think he'd do that. Not because she thought that he'd find anything wrong with it, necessarily, (she'd met beings who thought turning people into frozen statues and then knocking them over was normal), but because that'd be a short route to getting in a lot of trouble.

She didn't know what he wanted, ultimately, but she'd picked up enough on the fact that he liked to talk, liked to show off - that was something she could use, if she needed to. ]

You're right, I haven't spent much time around kids.

[ That didn't cost her anything, and it might make the questions she had easier. She lowers her voice a little: ] What are you?

[He didn't exactly know what she was fishing for, but she was fishing. A little bit afraid, maybe, but still fishing. And she wasn't exactly hard to look at. He rested the book against his chest, open, and looked up at her, giving her his best 'that eye thing you do' with baby blues.]

Sexy as all hell. And interested...

[Another lift his his brows, and he put a heavy emphasis on that lip bite.]

[ Seriously? He'd done nothing to help the whole time they'd been in here, and then he'd shown her that he had actual fangs, and he was still trying this?

There are a lot of different ways she can take this, including her normal - please don't look at me, ugh, get away - and knee-jerk response. But Piper gives in to sheer incredulity. ]

Seriously? You're trying that right now?

Why not? You'd be surprised how often it works. I'm a bit of a catch.

[His finger tapped at the back of the book, his eyes skimming down over her, then back up to a furious face. It just made him smile.]

Long lives mean needing to find the things that make it worth living. Sex is one of those things.

[ Piper worked hard to keep from becoming the center of attention. She cut her hair in ragged layers and wore baggy clothes. She tried, but there were limits to what she can do - she was the daughter of Aphrodite and one of her world's most famous sex symbols. This was not the first time someone had come on to her, not even the first time someone had been so blatant about it. It still made her feel like she wanted to hide behind a lead curtain or take a hot shower.

It was interesting, though, because it was clear enough to her that he was being... genuine - genuine-ish, at least. He didn't mind if it insulted her, but that wasn't his primary reason for saying or doing this. She got the feeling that he wouldn't have minded if she said yes, and wouldn't really care when she said no - he'd be entertained either way. Was that what this was about? ]

No. [ And then, almost out of curiosity to see how he'd respond if she attempted to make it as mundane as he did: ] Thanks anyway.

Your loss. Don't expect me to kill myself over a single rejection. Too used to it. Now, as for your previous question... I'll tell you if you tell me.

[He tapped his nose.]

Whatever you are, you smell different. Unless that's how humans smell where you come from. Doubt it. Just makes me want to nibble on you more.

[He really wasn't that unused to being turned down. He might be a little sensitive to it at the moment, what with the whole Elena thing... again, but hey. He was almost a pro at this point.]

terrible two(hundreds)

no subject

1/2

2/2

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

i apologize for my tl;dr

No such thing as tldr

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject